Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Television affects the style of children — that I know. I receive letters from children, and many of them begin: “Dear Mr. White, My name is Donna Reynolds.” This is the Walter Cronkite gambit, straight out of TV. When I was a child I never started a letter, “My name is Elwyn White.” I simply signed my name at the end.

Why sign with your name, class, and meeting time? It’s a courtesy, yes, but it also avoids the awkward “My name is . . . , and I am a student in your such-and-such class,” all of which is taken care of in the signature. It occurs to me that “My name is . . . , and I am a student in . . .” is telling evidence of the unfamiliarity of e-mail as a way for students to communicate with professors.

comments: 7

There are times (such as letters of consolation) when I think it important to begin by explaining my connection and why I am writing, because the signature is not likely to be familiar to the recipient.

It can always be done in a grown-up way, after all.

'As a regular reader of your blog, Dr. Leddy, I would like to invite you to ....' Now, that takes care of it nicely, does it not?

A week ago I would have argued that callers don't say rude things like, "Who is this?"....but when the orthopedist's nurse returned a call re my mother-in-law (broken arm) and I answered the phone, she said, in very suspicious tones, "Who IS this?" I laughed and replied, "Well, who is THIS?" but actually I was far from amused and continue to think it was unprofessional and just plain tacky.

Oh, and Dr. Leddy, you and your lovely wife are invited to dinner, unless it's just too far to come, or unless you feel two Elaines would be too hard to deal with. ;0)

“Orange Crate Art” is a song by Van Dyke Parks and the title of a 1995 album by Van Dyke Parks and Brian Wilson. “Orange Crate Art” is for me one of the great American songs: “Orange crate art was a place to start.”

Don’t look for premiums orcoupons, as the cost ofthe thoughts blended inORANGE CRATE ART pro-hibits the use of them.